Loyalty Only to Me
by irratiionaltendencies
Summary: "Death has a part to play in everyone's story. Even yours, Pan. I wonder what it is?" Elise Lobelia was just a child when it happened; when Death himself came to her and turned her into one of his prized Reapers, serving him for eternity. Now, she finds herself in the hands of the one person who avoids dying most of all - Peter Pan. What does he want with a Maiden of Death?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, I don't do these notes before the chapter very often, but since it's the first chapter of my first OUaT fic, I figured I'd greet you guys. Hello, there! So, as I said before this is my first attempt at an OUaT fic because why the hell not? My fic center's around my OC who is a Reaper – not exactly Death personified, mind you – who has a little run-in with everyone's favorite little devil, Peter Pan. The reason I went with creating the concept of Reapers was because death is a constant theme in fairy tales and much of my inspiration came from the tale, _Godfather Death, _which essentially showed how Death saw everyone in an equal light, was neither good nor bad, and was in fact a kind and fair being. Anyway, I thought the concept would be fun and a little ironic to play with - ya' know, what with Death and Pan and all that jazz - so tell me how it goes! I hope you all enjoy the story and stay along for the full ride. And with that, I'll leave you to your reading!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Loyalty Only To Me<strong>_

**Chapter One:**

**"Stay in the middle of the bell-curve of social norms and follow along, or you will find out the about freedom you never had." **  
><strong>― Bryant McGill<strong>

"Excuse me, sir," The man glanced over his shoulder, ripped away from preoccupying himself with cleaning a metal jug. His dull, brown gaze met with chilly blue eyes, cold like the winter winds yet somehow soft, and he arched a brow at the young girl said eyes belonged to. He didn't speak, but gave her an acknowledging grunt, urging her to continue lazily. She managed to flash him a miniscule, but kind smile before it faded away as quickly as it came. "I was wondering how much you rent your rooms and stables."

He seemed surprised and she couldn't blame him. It wasn't often that a girl barely out of adolescence would ask to rent anything. The travelers usually consisted of wicked old women and heavy-set men who were a little too shady for comfort. She knew this all too well and had gone over the same routine several times in her wandering from town to town, kingdom to kingdom. The questions were usually the same, the answers were as well and there was always some sort of skepticism. She learned over time to ignore it, whereas before she would have easily gotten annoyed and irritated by the barrage of inquiries thrown her way. Now, she would have preferred if that wasn't the case, but could bear through it anyway.

"Right." He drawled, turning to face her directly. "Depends on how long you're stayin', girlie."

"No more than five nights, I'm sure," was her quick and soft-spoken answer. The tone she took on was that of one who had gone through the process of paying for a room many times before.

She didn't quite appreciate the look of amusement that slowly appeared on his scruffy features. He chuckled. "Why don't you let your dad negotiate the money with me?" He said in a condescending tone that earned him a stony glower as she lowered her head in disapproval.

"Sure. Let me just wake him from his grave." She said bitterly, throwing the fact casually in his face. The look those words managed to conjure was priceless to her. Before he could speak, the hooded girl continued in a lighter but just as equally patronizing tone. "Are there any other inns in this village? I'm sure there is and perhaps they would actually like to make money rather than waste their customers' time with pointless questions." She took pride in the wide-eyed stare that was thrown her way, but her face remained hard and a little bit bored.

"Wait." His gruff voice stopped her move to leave as she had just turned around and she glanced over her shoulder, a brow arched expectantly. "I can give you five nights for twenty coins. Both the stable and a room." There was that tiny smile again.

The girl turned around, shifting to pluck something from the belt hidden behind her cloak and jacket, resting evenly on her hips. "Thank you," She murmured just loud enough for him to hear the true, but quiet gratitude in her tone, the irritation and stress suddenly absent. She opened the small leather pouch and shifted through the many coins to find what was required for her payment.

"Can I have a name, girlie?" He asked, watching her as she picked out twenty coins as instructed.

"Elise Lobelia," She answered smoothly, placing the coins requested down on the wooden counter. He took them and counted each piece twice and his face scrunched up in confusion when he noticed there was one coin extra. Surely she didn't tip him, right? Not after the nasty glares she threw him just moments before. "I would like a nice room, sir. If that is manageable." She explained, noticing his silent questioning of the extra piece.

He glanced at her before pocketing the money. "Of course, Miss Lobelia. I'll get you your keys right away." He told her before turning to make his way to the other end of the bar. With a quiet sigh, she let her shoulders drop and she turned around, closing her eyes. She was tired, but she hoped being in a new town would bode her a more restful night than the past few while she was on the road. She took in a deep breath through her nose, exhaling through her mouth to keep from yawning. The sun had just set, but already she was tired. However, for whatever reason, she didn't want to sleep just yet.

Maybe fate had something in store for her that night. She scoffed inwardly at the idea. _Yeah, right. _

"You look like you've had a long day," An accented voice cut into her thoughts and she turned to meet the pale, hazel-greenish gaze of a young boy, close to her age. At least, the age she appeared to be at the time. The first thing she took from him was that he was amused, but she was ignorant to what he found so entertaining. The other was his ridiculous and admittedly poorly made cloak consisting of many different variations of patches, each different from the other.

Crossing her arms, she turned her head away from him and huffed. "Yeah, I suppose so." She murmured, having little interest with having a conversation. Her eyes roamed the wooden floorboards, back and forth as if she were reading something off a page.

He looked like he was going to say something else and she vaguely caught a sign of irritation etched ever so subtly on his features. However, before he could do anything, the inn keeper returned with two keys. She turned to face him, her patience relieved by his appearance. "You're in luck. You have the last open stable and your room is sixteen." He told her orderly and held out the keys on an iron loop for her to take. She swiftly took them from his hand and nodded to him.

"Thank you, sir." She muttered and turned on her heel to tend to the horse that waited patiently outside of the inn, not minding the boy whose stare lingered on her a little to long.

**OOO**

It was a cute little village and from what she noticed so far, it was full of life that was close-knit in a small community. Though, she couldn't help that something was a little off about it and she could tell that such a sense was a recent thing. She'd be lying if she said her curiosity wasn't piqued at that notion, but she tried to steer clear of personal affairs within the towns she passed through. That is, until the matter became of her business, but for her sleeping sake, she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She wordlessly worked around her horse with a heavy saddle in her arms and heaved it over the short wall of the stable room she rented. Turning back to the large beast standing behind her, she drew her attention to the large sweat spot that had appeared from wearing the saddle all day and she wondered if the mare was relieved to have such a constricting thing off of her. Slowly and quietly, Elise approached the large, dark-brown horse and patted her side. The thick and hardy hide twitched ever-so-slightly under her touch and she watched the mare glance back at her with big brown eyes.

"Don't worry, Calla. We won't be riding out for a while." She told her quietly. Talking to her horse became habit in her spare time; after all, Calla was the only company she had when she wandered about. She tried to keep her connections limited for both others sake and her own. She gave the horse another soft pat before turning around and kneeling down to her bag that she discarded to the hay covered floor.

Picking it up, she rummaged through it for something she knew her horse would appreciate. "Lucky girl, you get to eat before I do." She said, scoffing dryly as she dug out a red apple. She turned back to the horse and walked over to her head, holding up the fruit to her large mouth. With her free hand, she petted the large animal as she ate the apple right off of her hand. "I wonder what we'll find here. Aren't you curious?"

Calla snorted as if to say that had enough of strange happenings for a life time and Elise couldn't say she didn't agree. "I guess you're right. We could go for a little normalcy for a little while, don't you think?" Having finished the apple, the mare's lips brushed her hand just a little as a silent, unspoken 'thank you' and then he lifted her large head to blow air on her forehead, disturbing the thick, coarse bangs there. Elise rolled her eyes and brushed the hair back in place.

"Something tells me we won't exactly have normalcy yet." She muttered a little sadly, biting her bottom lip. The oncoming cold of autumn left them more chapped than usual and needless to say her habit of chewing on her lip didn't help at all. Giving the mare a sweet kiss on her muzzle, she parted from the animal and grabbed her bag before making her way out of the stable. She turned around to close the gate and shifted her gaze to the finally relaxed mare. "Night, Calla." She called softly and padded out of the stables, thankful that the sharp smell did not follow her out onto the cobble-stone streets. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head.

The liveliness of the town had slowly begun to fade away as the night hours took over. Children had long since retreated to the home and soon the adults began to follow after, talking amongst themselves about trivial things such as the latest news of marriage and the market sales lately or maybe the occasional riff-raff that ran amuck in the little village. Autumn air nipped at her already cold flesh and the gentle winds softly rustled the hairs that had come loose from her messy, over-the-shoulder braid. It was usually the later seasons, fall and winter, that she loved most. Their chill made her feel like she was supposed to feel as cold as she already had, but there was no fooling her.

Glancing up at the sky, she noticed the overwhelming blackness that blanketed the sky, masking the moon's brilliance and hiding the stars. Thick clouds had settled in and the scent of rain was already present. She wondered if it would rain that night. If it would, the inn she was staying at luckily wasn't too far from the stables she had left. She began to feel small droplets of water fall from the sky when she finally found the inn+ once again and stepped inside, the creak of the wooden door as her greeting.

Unlike the rest of the town, the inn was still alive with energy from the many travelers and even some locals who stayed in the afterhours to socialize and drink and eat. She kept to herself as she stepped quietly over to the counter. The man from before, the inn keeper, turned to her and slung a dirty rag over his shoulder. He must've noticed that she was a paying customer, much like the rest of those there, and decided to treat her with a little more kindness as he gave her a small grin when she reappeared at his bar.

"What can I get for you, Miss Lobelia?" He asked and she was a little surprised that he even bothered to remember her name.

Blinking, she slowly regained her words that she had meant to ask. "Erm, how much are your meals?" She asked, regaining her voice from her little surprise.

"I can have a bowl of soup out for you for three coins." He told her as he folded his arms over his barrel chest. She nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"And drink?"

"For young ones such as yourself, we have tea, water and spiced cider."

"_Hot_ cider?"

"Only the best in the village."

At that declaration, she was a bit challenge to find out if it was true and she smiled, amused at how proud he seemed at the statement. She took out her pouch "Alright then. I'll have a bowl of soup and a hot cider, please." She said, glad that the man was finally treating her with a little more respect than before.

"That'll be four coins." He told and she quickly gave him what he requested. The man gathered up the coins and pocketed the money, but before he left he leaned down curiously. "Is it too bold for me to ask where your parents are, kid?"

Normally she would have turned sour at such a question, but this time she let a small smirk play on her lips and her blue-grey eyes glinted with light. "That _is_ too bold, Inn Keeper." She told him, turning her head slightly. He nodded.

"Couldn't hurt to ask," He justified for himself and she dipped her head in understanding. "The name's Barry, by the way."

"It's a pleasure."

"That it is, lass. I'll bring you your food when it's ready." He told her and with one final and finishing nod, he left to tend to other things. She turned around to scope out an empty place in the inn and spotted an empty table home to two chairs off in the far corner of the room, the candle was already lit. Quietly, she stepped over there and dropped her bag on the table before sitting down. Leaning back, she used her foot to drag over the other chair in front of her to prop her feet on. From her bag, she pulled out a dusty old book and set it on her lap. Her fingers found a small black ribbon that held her place and she opened the book there to continue the story she was reading.

Music played softly in the background, a treat from the performers in the inn, and it slowly faded away as she lost herself in storytelling and thought. The conversations became loud and then suddenly dropped from all hearing, but she could vaguely make out small chatter about a band of thieves running around recently as well as the strange deeds they did. The book she held in her hands was a common story, yes, but she enjoyed it. It was about an old man who tricked the trickster into starving himself when he tried to steal from the old man. It wasn't exactly a bedtime story to read to children, but it was interesting enough. At least for her, it was. Tucking back a lock of black hair, she stuck her nose in the book and became invisible to the world.

She didn't know when, but eventually the man, Barry, came over with her food, setting it down on the table she sat at without a word to her. He must've noticed how engrossed she was in her book and hadn't said anything to her. After a little while, she found herself absentmindedly drinking the hot apple cider she was served. She sighed, satisfied with the drink. She hasn't had good hot cider in a long time and the man was right, it probably was the best in the little town. She relished in the warmth that the drink gave her, even if it was short-lived. The bowl of soup was just as equally good and she downed it all quickly, finally sustaining her famine.

Elise was once again absorbed into her book when a voice caught her attention. "For as tired as you seem, I'm surprised you're still up." The voice was familiar and a little part of her had hoped it wasn't who she thought it was. She glanced up and sighed mentally, not really surprised that the boy from before was standing right in front of her. What did he want? "A bit of a night owl, are we?" His grin was lopsided.

She shifted her gaze back to her book. Maybe if she ignored him, he'd go away. "I guess you could say that." She answered, leaving not much room for further discussion.

There was a few seconds of silence and she thought she had succeeded in her plan. "I'm Peter, by the way." Unfortunately, it didn't. This time she let her tired sigh be audible for him.

"Elise." She introduced quietly. She didn't exactly want to be rude, she just didn't want to be bothered.

"Hmm. Nice night, don't you think, Elise?" He asked and for some reason she was a bit unsettled by the use of her name. She blinked at her book, brows slowly coming together in thought. Why had it bothered her? She pushed away the feeling and glanced back up at him.

"Yes, it is very lovely, I must agree." She answered a little too brightly. "Almost as lovely as this book," She hinted at the boy, hoping he would leave. "That I will continue to read for the rest of this lovely night," She deadpanned as he remained in his place, a smug look on his pale face. Why wasn't he leaving? "As soon as you leave." Her voice was demanding, a little edgier than usual. It was clear she really didn't like the boy before her.

There was something dangerous and a little bit devilish that flashed in his green eyes that made her chest tighten and she felt herself slowly tense. "Now, why would I do that?" Peter asked lowly, tilting his head. That was it.

"Because," She began as she snapped her book closed and stood up. "I'm going to sleep." The girl did a mock curtsy before grabbing her bag, stuffing her book into it with one swift motion and walked past the boy. She tugged the edge of her hood to hide her face a little bit better and because it made it to where she couldn't see the boy any longer. Though, as she left, she could barely hear the words he had uttered to her that made her blood run cold for the first time in ages it seemed. Hastily, she made her way over to the wooden stairs that lead up to the rooms upstairs and hurried down the hallway until she found her room. She unlocked it quickly and pushed herself in, almost slamming the door shut before locking it and tossing her stuff onto the bed that waited for her.

With a heavy sigh, her shoulders dropped and she pulled back her hood. Her heart raced in her chest and she bit her lip nervously. Hesitantly, she looked down at her hands and became appalled at the sight of them shaking violently. She hugged herself tightly, closing her eyes so that she could forget what he had said to her. The words repeated in her head over and over.

"_Sweet dreams, Lobelia Reaper." _

So much for normalcy.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note<span>:**

**Okay, so that's the chapter! I know it's not much so far, but things will become a little more clearer the next couple chapters about our little Reaper. Just little note, this takes place after the first incident in Hamelin when Baelfire went to Pan and all that jazz. If that makes sense. Also, this is a completely different town other than Hamelin, but similar events occur because it's Peter Pan and Pied Piper is a fun element to work with. Why Pan went back to the Enchanted Forest may or may not be revealed, but for now let's just say he wanted more friends. Anyway, how do you like Elise so far? I'm trying to keep her from being Mary-Sue, so if you see her starting to edge that way, please let me know! Also, leave some constructive criticism if you want. All of that is welcome as long as you're nice.**

**Also! Let's have a next chapter sneak peak, shall we? Roll it!**

"_My name is Elise Lobelia and I am one of Death's agents. I am a Reaper. And your children are not dead."_

"_She might be telling the truth," _

"_Why would she? All those demons care about is when someone is dying so they can take their souls to Death." _

"_If you don't want my help, then I won't give it."_

"_You're not going anywhere."_

"_You dare challenge a Reaper?"_

**So, I'm not exactly sure how the schedule for updates will be constructed as of yet, I think I'm going to try to update every Friday. Anyway, enjoy the story! Leave a review, drop a favorite and follow if you want. All of it is much appreciated. Also, if you guys want to recommend some quotes that I could put at the beginning of the chapters, that'd be awesome! Anyway, thank you so much for reading, I look forward to seeing your thoughts, and I'll see ya'll cool cats on the flip side!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Loyalty Only To Me**_

**Chapter Two:**

"**I am tired of hiding, tired of misspent and knotted energies, and tired of acting as though I have something to hide." – Kay Redfield Jamison**

She wished she could say she had a restful sleep, but she didn't. She continuously woke up at odd hours of the night, stirred by an insistent tune that found its way into her room. When she was awake, she couldn't go back to sleep, so she paced her room until exhaustion brought her back under. Now, waking up in the morning, she couldn't shake the feeling that lingered from the night before, settling sickeningly in her stomach. Elise sat up, her eyes immediately finding the door and she had the right mind to not go out. However, despite what she feared, she couldn't stand staying trapped in four walls, so instead of staying put, she rose to her feet and ignored the little voice in her head that told her to stop. She moved to collect her belongings, stuffing them in a bag as ribbon-like tendrils slid from the shadows around her and crawled on her skin and over the white blouse she wore, materializing into the black trousers, boots and corset she wore as well as the same cloak she had the night before.

She was already used to the sensation of the shadowy magic gliding over her skin, but if she had to describe the feeling, well, the word she would use was cold. Colder than herself, which was saying much. It was almost numbing, but she got used to it over the many years. As she gathered her stuff, she spotted the brown belt she carried around to carry loose items she would rather not have crowding her bag and snatched it from its place on the nightstand next to her bed. She clipped the belt loosely around her waist and it feel evenly on her hips. She let her cloak hide the three small knives attached to it. Elise threw her bag around her torso and started for the door, trying to put on a more cheerful demeanor as she made her hair into a loose and messy side braid.

As she was walking down to the first floor of the inn, she peered ahead to look for any boys in pied cloaks and was relieved to find none. Relaxing, she found going downstairs a lot easier than it was before and she found herself taking light strides over to Barry who still worked behind the bar, cleaning up whatever mess was made the previous night. There were only a few people in the inn at that hour and she put her best bet that they were staying in one of the rooms like she was. Barry looked up at her as she approached and gave her a short wave before continuing his work.

"Good morning, Miss Lobelia," He greeted calmly, setting a glass down. "I trust you slept well last night?"

She flashed him a polite smile. "Oh, yes, of course," She lied. What was she going to tell him? That she could barely sleep and every time she woke up in the night, music was still playing? "Actually, I was wondering how long the music went last night? I couldn't help but hear...pipes?"

Barry's face twisted with confusion and he jerked his head back incredulously. Slowly, he shook his head. "The performers last night left maybe an hour after you disappeared, miss. Even so, none of them played any sort of pipes."

Oh, really? Now that was interesting.

She blinked at the man, tilting her head and parting her lips in a quiet question to herself. If it wasn't the performers, then who was it? "Hmm…" She hummed in thought, but gave up on solving the unspoken riddle. The girl gave a huff and she crossed her arms. "Well, that's odd." She declared, leaving the questions at that.

The man eyed her warily and picked up another glass to clean. "Did anything disturb you last night, miss?" He asked, probably for good measure. After all, an inn keeper was always concerned with his business, even if they were small girls.

"No, no, I was just wondering." She murmured absentmindedly, not helping the fact that her mind still kept straying in the direction of the mystery of the music she heard last night.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, Miss Lobelia?" He inquired, once again occupying himself with maintaining his bar.

"Yes, actually," She answered quickly, moving on to more current matters. "I was wondering where the town's market was? I was hoping to buy something fresh for this morning."

Barry grinned with crooked teeth. "Am I losing business?" He joked casually and she offered him another small grin.

"No, of course not, Barry." Elise assured him, chuckling. "I just didn't want to be cooped up in here all day. I don't do well behind stone walls."

"I'm assuming that's why you wander these lands like you do?"

_I only wish it were that simple._

"Something like that," Another lie.

"The market square isn't far from here as long as you go north on the main road. You won't miss it." He told her, his grin lopsided and yellow. She nodded her appreciation.

"Thank you," She said, ducking her head as she turned away and headed out the door. It was barely morning and she had really yet to notice that until she stepped outside and found that autumn fog still blanketed the streets. She wondered if the market was even open at the hour. Well, if it was, she'd get the first pick out of all the goods. She pulled her hood over her head and turned down the main road heading north to the center of town.

As she passed the shops and homes, she began to see the town wake up, lowly and groggily. She was a bit taken back by it, confused as to why it wasn't as lively as it was the day before. She brushed it off – maybe it was because it was morning. At least, that's what she told herself over and over, but she couldn't shake the feeling that that just wasn't it. Something was off. The breath she let out was a little frustrated, maybe even exhausted. All she wanted was one day of no big events, but she felt she wasn't even going to get that.

_Oh, the woes of being a Reaper, _she thought bitterly as she found the market square.

**OOO**

After acquiring three red apples, a few oranges, and some bread, Elise found herself looking at one of the hand-dyed, silk scarves hanging from the top of one of the merchant's tents, nimble and cold fingers weaving into the fine fabrics. She was surprised to see such merchandise in a small village. The only other woman under the tent was the merchant, an elegant old crone dressed in beads, feathers, and several layers of clothing, and she eyed the raven-haired girl who frequently passed a specific scarf the color of her cold eyes. The crone smiled at her as she approached and Elise glanced at her a few times, still keeping her attention on that one scarf.

"You like it?" The merchant woman asked her. She turned, opening her mouth to reply, but then promptly shut it. Oh, she did like the scarf very much, but she was too afraid of the price to really admit it. Silk was never a cheap fabric, after all. The woman stepped a little bit closer, arching her thin brow. "Don't be shy, child. I don't bite," She paused, thinking on that last comment. "Often."

The smile Elise gave her was brief, but true with amusement at the old woman. "It's a very beautiful color," She admitted, but before she could say anything else, the woman spoke in a kind tone.

"Yes, it is. A beautiful color for a beautiful girl," She complimented, but she was all too familiar with how merchants worked. They groveled at the feet of their customers until they learned that they didn't have the money they wanted. "And it can be yours for, hmm, say thirty-two coins?" There it was; the unfortunate price.

Despite already knowing she wasn't going to be able to purchase the scarf, she still felt a little bit disappointed by the price. If she hadn't paid for the room at the inn, she probably would have had enough. She grimaced, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I don't have that much money."

The merchant woman gave her a grim smile, brows turned upward in something close to pity and she began to walk away, patting Elise's shoulder. "Unfortunate," She croaked and returned to whatever it was she was doing. Elise should have seen that coming, but it still irritated her just a little.

When she walked out of the small tent, she immediately had to jump back in order to avoid being run into by a woman who rushed into the center of town with a panicked look on her face. "They're gone!" She cried, the terror and helplessness evident in her voice, turning all heads toward her. What could be going on, now? Stepping back where she was before, Elise watched part of the town gather around the woman as a few other adults joined her in her fit. Dark brows came together and she found herself curious about what was going on so she stepped closer to have her fill of the conversation among the villagers.

"I don't know! They just disappeared in the night!" The same woman shouted to the demanding crowd.

"It's true! My son is missing as well!" A man called and Elise didn't have enough time to pinpoint a face in the crowd before someone else spoke up.

"Did they run away?"

"No, they couldn't have! Why would they?"

"Did someone kidnap our kids?"

"Who would do such an awful thing?"

"Is my son dead? Oh my god, I can't-"

The voices began to blend together and it wasn't long before she couldn't even tell the difference between male and female as the chaos continued. It was bad enough that she had a head ache from her restless sleep and he lack thereof, but the organization and sudden panic that swept over the market square made the pounding in her head almost unbearable. A scowl easily replaced her look of curiosity as she tried to elbow her way through the crowd, but of course, as she was only seen as a child, her efforts were ignored and she was pushed back. She didn't stop trying, however. That is until someone had pushed her back a little too harshly, causing her to slam into a small girl, a little older than five, who had lost her way in the mess of a _town gathering_. Looking down at the small child, she snarled at the lack of care for the children who weren't missing. Typical.

She looked down at the kid, crouching just a little. "C'mere, let me help you." She told the kid, trying to sound gentle despite her sudden bitterness toward everything around her. The girl stepped back, holding her small hands to her chest and she looked at Elise with a hesitant expression. When she spoke, she stumbled on soft spoken words.

"W-Where's my mommy?" She had raised her voice, but the commotion made it sound like barely a whisper.

"We'll find her, okay?" Elise tried to offer a sweet, a friendly smile on her pink lips and she held out her hand to the girl. "Let's get you out of this crowd, first. C'mon." She cooed gently, despite her anger flaring at the people around her as they continued to shout and push and panic. Slowly and hesitantly, the child inched closer to her and took her hands. She scooped her up in her arms, finding the child rather light, and propped her up on her hip. All that was left was to get the attention of the crowd.

"Hey!" She shouted, but her voice was too soft, too quiet to be heard in the clamor around her. "Everyone! Calm down!" She tried again, hoping to be louder, but still her voice did not reach over the volumes of the angry and frightened villagers. Her lips pressed together as she let out an aggravated breath through her nose, holding the girl tightly who gave her a worried glance. She felt something coming off of her body, emanating dangerously and it was pure, unfiltered power. Elise had to clench her fists and had force down the energy, stopping the icy tendrils of a strange, misty, black substance from going out of control.

"HEY!" She screamed, her bellowing voice amplified by the shadows around the square, but they didn't seem to notice the strange occurring. The people immediately became quiet and all eyes turned on her, wide and alarmed by her volume. With a huff, Elise's gaze shifted from each and every face that had turned on her. She shifted so the child fit more comfortably on her hip. "Before we go looking for missing children, can we at least take care of the ones that are still here?" She asked with her voice raised in a tone that sounded like the answer was very obvious.

It took maybe a little less than a full minute before a woman recognized the child in Elise's arms and rushed forward. "Fila!" She cried in a desperate tone as she pushed her way through the thick crowd and hurried over to where her daughter was. The mother reached out to take little Fila from who was holding her, and she let her, eyeing her coldly.

"Take care of your child." She cautioned the woman, her tone hard and unlike anyone who was the age she appeared to be. "Now," She continued, looking over the rest of the crowd as she woman returned to her place. "Before you erupt into calamity once again, you must know that your children are not dead."

"How do you know?" A voice, male, called after her, dripping with skepticism.

Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms. "You just have to listen to me. I just know." She told the people, but that only seemed to bring up more incredulity, and infuriating questions.

"You just know?"

"You're just a kid!"

"Yeah! And how can we even trust you?"

Elise let out a frustrated growl. There was just no getting through with these people. "Look, you just have to, okay? Blind faith, have you ever heard of it?"

"Blind faith?" A voice grunted indignantly, obviously not convinced. "You're just a little girl!"

She was getting tired off all of these comments on her supposed age. "I am not just a little girl!" She declared. "I'm much older than I appear to be." There was silence over the villagers and they all stared at her, seeming to try and piece her together as if she were an impossible puzzle to solve. The scrutinizing looks slowly turning into resentful glares and they each - one by one - became defensive. The woman who had taken her child from her just moments before, backed away and shielded her child from the girl in front of them.

"Who are you?" A man asked, looking slightly horrified as he tried to figure her out.

She knew that no matter what way she went, they were either going to hate her or not believe her, maybe both. If the truth would help, however, then so be it. "My name is Elise Lobelia and I am one of Death's agents." She declared and watched their faces twist into horror and terror. "I am a Reaper," A pause to hold her breath, hoping they wouldn't try to kill her on the spot. "And your children are not dead." Once again, they were silent. Eyes of judgment watched her and she squeezed her own shut, hissing in regret. She already knew what was coming for her. Why did she even try?

"She's a Reaper!" The whispers came as they murmured amongst each other.

"She might be telling the truth,"

"Why would she? All those demons care about is when someone is dying so they can take their souls to Death."

"Her being here is an omen. An omen of death!"

"She probably killed them!"

"That Reaper bitch!"

They all came at her like a tidal wave and she kept her eyes closed, trying to force down the power that came with the mass of emotions that washed over her. The words, she heard them all before and they were always in the same damned voices, but the pain they brought was never any less terrible. Her breathing became unsteady and she pursed her lips. _Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! _"Fine!" She shouted over them as their voices escalated into full blown verbal attacks. "If you don't want my help, then I won't give it." She spat and turned around to storm away, but stopped in her tracks when she realized they had surrounded her.

_Oh, no. _

"You're not going anywhere." A man said as he took a few steps closer to her, the people behind him following in suit. What had she done? "At least, not of your own accord."

She forced herself to act indignant and bored by his attempt to intimidate her, and scoffed dryly. The girl stepped in front of him, toe-to-toe, and smirked up at the man. "You dare challenge a Reaper?" She asked threateningly, her eyes dark and cold. Elise made a sudden move, as if she were to attack, and this caused the people to jump back, but what followed wasn't an attack. Black wisps slithered from the shadows and traveled across the cobblestone over to her, swirling up in a spiral around her. The image masked her appearance and when it disappeared, she was gone from that spot she was just at.

Gasps filled the air in reaction to her disappearance and immediately the man who had threatened her looked around frantically. "Where is she?!" He bellowed, face all red. "Find the Reaper!" They had all burst into a disorganized search party as they looked around the square for her. Bumping into each other, they searched frantically for the Reaper who had somehow escaped, unaware of how she had tricked them all.

"There!" A young man called, pointing over in the direction of one of the branching streets where a figure cloaked in black ran swiftly and quietly. "There she is!"

Her boots crashed down on hard rock as she ran and the autumn air stung her lungs as she panted, barely hearing the following steps of the villagers who chased after her over her own breath. She was too busy to really care; she had to hurry back to the stables. It was clear she was no longer welcome there and to think she was looking forward to talking to that man, Barry, once again. Oh well, she was used to having to cut off her connections and burn the bridges that were unsalvageable.

This particular situation wasn't exactly a common one, but this wasn't the first time she had been driven out of a town because of who she was. It was only natural, however. They were scared of Death, thus then scared of the Reapers who followed him. Reapers in general were never meant to stay in one place. It was lonely, yeah, and often times aggravating because of the hate and discrimination put on them, but it was natural. Right? At least, that's what she assumed. It's all she knew for the past eighty years as a Reaper. Though, she could successfully and proudly claim that she wasn't run out of town in this sort of manner often. This was in fact the third time in happened. She was well to keep her identity hidden from others.

Turning on a corner, she almost slipped – damn her slick boots – but she quickly regained her balance and hurried toward the stables, already seeing them from where she was. However, her eyes caught something else, someone she passed by that made her stomach twist painfully. A familiar face that brought up a knowing voice. _Sweet dreams, Lobelia Reaper. _It was that boy, Peter, and his small, dark smirk plastered on his face. She gasped at the sight and her heart stopped.

She didn't know what compelled her to turn around, but she did anyway at a moment notice. "Wait!" She cried as she turned, but the movement was too sharp and too sudden for her body to handle. Gravity dragged her down as she slipped and her body crashed into the stone ground, she felt and heard two pops in her ankle and cried out in pain, moving to clutch her right foot. She hissed a primal hiss as pain surged up and down her leg and she was damn sure she had broken something.

Elise looked up to see if Peter was still where she had spotted him, but he had disappeared and the villagers took his place. _So much for getting away_. If she weren't trying to mend her injury, she would have let out an aggravated huff, but instead came a strangled growl as she glared at the people who looked down on her with disgust. She must have looked like some sort of wild animal, curled in herself and still fighting to scare her predators away. The man from before looked down on her, his chest puffed out and a triumphant grin making its way across his ugly maw.

"Look what we have where!" He announced arrogantly. "The little Reaper isn't so swift now, isn't she?" The man crouched down to her level. "Anymore smoke and mirrors, Reaper?" Elise didn't dare grace his stupid questions with answers and instead stared him down. If looks could kill. Though, he didn't seem intimidated and smirked at her scowl as he rose to a full standing. "Take her to the cells." He ordered whoever was listening.

"You're making a mistake!" She snarled at the man as two people rushed over to grab at her, rough hands tugged at her arms and pulled her up. She swore that the man on her right purposely pressed her ankle down onto the cobblestone, causing her to gasp in pain and tears sprung into her eyes, but she didn't dare let herself cry. Not in front of them, not matter how innocent they were.

After figuring out that she wasn't going to be walking anytime soon, they dragged her away and as they did so, her eyes did not leave the spot where she had seen Peter stand before. There were three words of thought that she spared just for him. _Damn that boy._

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**So, shit went down. Yes, that didn't take long, did it? Ha. Anyway. Oh, no! Elise broke her ankle! And Peter proceeds to be an asshole and fuck everything up, but I wonder why? Maybe he's just bored. I dunno. We'll see. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this latest chapter. It was fun to write the last bits. Then again, it's always fun writing action-y scenes. What to expect in the next chapter? Hmm… well, Elise will be injured and imprisoned and we still don't know where the boys went – though, I think we can make our best guess, right? **

**Here's our little sneak peak for chapter three:**

"_It's cold and it's lonely, but that's what Reapers are, Elise." _

"_If we're so lonely and disconnected, then how come you two found each other?" _

"_We should have at least one thing to cling to. One thing that will always be there no matter what, something eternal that will keep you sane."_

**Tell me what you guys think of this chapter and feel free to follow and favorite! I appreciate all thinks as long as it's not mean. I am merely a harmless, defenseless potato who can somehow type on a computer. With that declaration, I will see you lovelies next time! **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Loyalty Only To Me**_

**Chapter Three**

"**Justice means minding one's own business and not meddling with other men's concerns." - Plato**

The cell she was put in was more or less disgusting. Then again, she couldn't imagine any better from a place where the town put its nasty criminals. Earlier that day, she had told the inn keeper that she didn't do well behind stone walls and she was in that cell since noon. It was night. Late at night. If her foot hadn't been so injured, she would have been pacing impatiently and she was contemplating doing it anyway, but instead she sat on the stone-cold floor, whispering and conjuring spells over her ankle that soothed the pain, even only a little bit. No matter what position she held it in, it still stung and she was sure by now, under her black boot, her ankle was a muddy color mixed of red, blue, black, purple, and grey. When she attempted to move it, she could hear and feel the bones clicking against each other and she winced at the sound alone.

Had she been more adept at casting spells, she could have managed a decent pain killer. The ones she knew, however, only made it somewhat bearable.

Elise's head jerked up when the wood door to the building opened, scraping against the stone floors and causing a screeching sound that split her sensitive ears. That man from before, she had still yet to learn his name, entered the building with booming steps and he walked over to her cell. Her shoulders dropped and her expression darkened into a nasty glare. He dragged over a chair, the sound was loud and alarming, and he sat down right in front of her cell, arms crossed over his barrel chest.

"You're going to tell me what happened to the boys that went missing." He demanded in a hard tone.

She rolled her shoulders back and tilted her head back to rest on the wall behind her. "I told you," She began with an edge in her voice. How many times had she said it now? "I don't know. All I know is that they're alive. Believe it or not, Reapers can care about people who aren't dying." The girl paused for a moment, as if to consider the words she had just spoken. "But you would never believe that, would you?"

"Why would I?" He asked her incredulously. "You Reapers strut around doing whatever you want because Death doesn't follow you so long as you do his bidding. You take lives left and right. You're mere existence is an omen of death." The man leaned in as close as he could, almost pressing his face against the rusty bars that separated them. "You are a _curse_."

Her expression was bored, unfazed by his words because she'd heard them all before. However, that didn't mean they hurt any less. "Are you done?" She asked him bluntly, showing her feigned indifference through a jaded stare. The man puffed up like a pissed off feline, face becoming red. He was obviously unsatisfied by her smart-mouthed remark, probably having expected more of an affect from his words. It wasn't that she was completely unaffected – she was – but she just didn't dare give him the blessing of seeing such things. It was undignified and pride was something common among most Reapers.

Sighing, the man rubbed his face. He was probably exhausted; after all, this was his fifth visit. "I talked to that inn keeper, Barry. He mentioned that you had heard music playing last night, yes?" She blinked and that was the only answer she would give. He accepted it irritably. "_Pipes_ is how you would describe it, wouldn't you, Reaper? Well, it just so happens that the boys who have gone missing said something of hearing pipes before they went off to bed, but strangely enough, no one else could hear them. No one else except you, that is."

Despite this news having interested her, her face remained impassive. This was interesting. So she wasn't going crazy? But, then why couldn't the others hear the music? The questions ran through her head as she tried to rule out every possibility. She was surprised that they went this far into investigating already. After a moment of silence and minutes of her watching the expecting look on his face, she tilted her head innocently and cocked her eyebrow. "And?"

Another aggravated huff came from the man and he scooted closer, clasping his hands in front of him. His frustration with the situation as a whole couldn't be any more evident. "And I want to know what you know of it, Reaper. Because of these reports, I have the right mind to suspect you guilty or at least associated with the guilty party who has taken the boys. I don't give a damn if you're a great and terrifying Reaper – if you think for a second your precious Death will cover you, he won't. For all I know, this could be all a plan to harvest souls for some demonic ritual-"

As much as she wanted to be interested, she wasn't. She found herself ignoring the man, sighing and running her hand through her thick black hair, now no longer covered by her hood. _This is pointless_, she thought bitterly and closed her eyes tightly, trying to fight through the head ache his presence brought. "I want to help you, I really do, but I don't think I can do so behind these bars, so instead, I'll give you what I know." She said, not caring that she interrupted whatever speech he was giving. "I have nothing to do with your children going missing. I did indeed hear pipes last night, but that is all I know of it. Your children are not dead, I would know it one way or another unless something completely abnormal happened to them which would take too long to explain. I can give you two choices: One – I stay behind these bars and break out whenever I feel up to the task, or two – you let me out and help you while I am still offering it."

Elise glanced down at her still unbearably aching ankle and winced slightly before adding, "And you can help me with my ankle as it seems I have broken it."

Much to her disliking, but as she predicted, the man gave her a disapproving sneer as he stood up from his chair loudly. "I don't think so," He spat scornfully. "You can suffer and rot in here, Reaper." His thundering steps headed over to the door and left the building, a hard slam following in his wake. She let out an annoyed sigh, rolling her eyes. She wasn't all too sure about the rotting in a jail cell for the rest of her never-ending life, but she certainly was suffering.

With boredom playing in her head, and the pangs of numbing pain coming in waves from her ankle and up and down her leg, she was certain this night was going to be a long one. Whilst trying to keep her mind off her ankle, she found that her thoughts kept straying to a certain boy who seemed to plague her life as of recent events. And she only saw him three times, each very brief and always leaving her in a worse mood and, or situation than she was before. She didn't even know who the boy was! Peter, that's what he said his name was, but Peter who? For all she knew, he could have been a figment of her imagination.

She really was going mad, wasn't she?

To top off all the madness, her mind kept rolling in the questions. Was he real? If so, did he have something to do with the disappearances? How did he know she was a Reaper? Why was he in her life to begin with? The girl let out a frustrated growl and hit her head on the wall behind her, as if that could make the answers just pop out, but she was sure it did the opposite. Another pang of hurt washed over her leg, suddenly agonizing and almost making her black out. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to swallow down the pain as the injury continued to throb.

She huffed angrily. _This is just absolutely great, Elise, _she told herself scornfully. _Damn this town, damn that boy, damn this stupid jail cell – _

The curses continued to roll on out and she was sure she was probably saying them out loud as well, but she honestly couldn't give a damn if someone had heard her. She was sure no one was around to listen, but if there were, she was sorta hoping they would hear her. At least then, someone was acknowledged of her complete and utter annoyance at the whole situation. She wondered what would have happened if she just stayed in her room that morning, or at least kept her nose out of people's business.

**OOO**

**Many Years Ago**

"_C'mon! Drink up, youngling!" A loud and brutish voice urged her as a rough hand shook her shoulder, snapping the girl out of her trance. She blinked a few times, registering where exactly she was and who she was with. She looked up to meet the two faces of a middle-aged couple, each having a much older look in their eyes than their appearances offered. They were the first other Reapers she had ever met and she was surprised they were paired together. It was to her understanding that Reapers were few and far between, but somehow she managed to run into two of them. How odd. _

_The woman, lean and strong looking, sipped her drink gingerly and moved to the left to lean on her partner. She smiled with pearly teeth, a kind gesture that was all but inviting and friendly. "It's okay," She assured the girl in front of her. "No one will judge you for drinking. Technically, you are of age. You just don't look it." Both of the older Reapers laughed at that. Earlier they had expressed that they have never even heard of a person as young as she becoming a Reaper. She wondered if they pitied her. _

_Elise eyed the drink, edging toward temptation. She hadn't had a right dose of alcohol in years. Being in the form of a girl barely the age of seventeen, maybe eighteen, wasn't always a favorable appearance. It made getting the things she wanted and being taken seriously very hard for her in the world were adults were the ones in charge. Realizing that this moment was a rare chance for her, she snatched the drink and brought it to her lips, throwing it back and drinking what she could. The taste was bitter on her tongue, but, God, she missed it. She had to put it down when she heard the two Reaper in front of her chuckling at her urgency for a drink. She threw them an embarrassed and guilty smile, sheepish in all shape and form. _

_The man, Alexander, still laughed at her despite his partner having quieted down and enjoyed her own drink. "It's quite a sight to see a little girl guzzling down alcohol like a fish out of water," He declared, his wide grin crooked and teasing. Elise immediately flushed at the statement. _

"_I was not guzzling!" She protested, unable to hide her own laughter that bubbled between words as she spoke. "I don't get to drink very often. You can't blame me," It was a feeble attempt at a defense of her dignity, but somehow it worked up against them, because they didn't seem to tease her anymore of it. Instead, the man grunted, amused by her claims. _

"_Gotta hand it to the lass," He said to his partner from the corner of his mouth. "She has a point." Alexander turned his head to the woman, his eyes shifting from the drink in his hand to her face as she watched him with an interested expression. "I don't know where I'd be without alcohol." _

_The woman, Leda, laughed, her voice hoarse and scratchy from age that did not appear on her face. "Well, you and I surely would not be together and we both would have gone mad in this business without a little something to relieve tension." She said jokingly, but the words lingered in Elise's mind. _

_Was being a Reaper really that bad? In that time, she had no doubts. If a Reaper didn't do their duty of harvesting souls like they should, then they were giving a much more painful duty: greeting the dead. And because she refused to really take lives, as she was still too new to the idea of it being a regular thing, every moment in slumber were haunted by dreams of people dying. Real people. It wasn't just watching, it was experiencing. It was as if she were dying, over and over again, dozens of times while she slept. She could feel their emotions, their pains, their relief, their loss. All of it. She was told that the dreams never really went away, even if she did harvest souls. After all, many people died and there were so few Reapers. They could not harvest every soul. So, maybe going mad in this 'business,' as Leda and Alexander called it, wasn't so rare. She had to wonder if she was going to go insane. Surely she would in time._

"_So, kid," Leda's sharp-edged voice pulled her out of her thoughts and the girl glanced up from her drink. "You've been a Reaper for – what – ten years, you said?" She didn't even wait for an answer. "Right, well, tell me," The brutish woman slammed down her cup and leaned over to look at Elise closely, forest green eyes narrow and scrutinizing. "Have you even used your scythe yet?" _

_Elise's stomach flopped and she felt embarrassment and – for whatever reason – guilt creep up on her. It was strange. She felt like, by not having used the scythe, that she was betraying herself. It was, in fact, a part of her now. Instead of answering, she just shot the woman a shameful look and ducked her head into her cup, hoping she wouldn't be pressed for a verbal response. She really didn't want to talk about it. Leda sighed, pinching her nose. She couldn't tell if it was out of frustration. The woman breathed in and out, glanced at her partner knowingly, then took another drink from her cup. Alexander frowned. _

"_It's nothing to be ashamed of, Elise. We've all been in that rut, where you can't bring yourself to take a life, but its part of our job, you know?" He reasoned with her and she just pursed her lips, wondering how to reply. "If you ever need help-"_

"_I have." The girl interrupted abruptly, setting down her cup with a soft thud. "It's been a while, but I have. On two men. They were hurting this girl and I didn't know what else to do, so I…" She drifted off, unsure how to tell the story without more remorse bubbling up inside her. She could already feel that ever threatening knot form inside her throat. As Leda listened to what was told of the brief story, she looked at the girl pityingly. How could a girl so young get wrapped up in this Reaper business? Elise bit her lip and looked at the two of them, her brows tilted upward. She looked like a kicked puppy. _

"_That was three years ago." She told them, deciding not to really go into the tale. _

_Both of the older Reapers shifted, though it wasn't an uncomfortable motion. It was in an attempt to stall whatever response they had on their minds. Alexander spoke up first after exchanging a weary glance with his partner. "It'll get easier, Elise," He told her reassuringly and Leda nodded in agreement. _

"_It's hard, I know, but you can't let those dreams haunt you." She said and frowned, shrugging. "To be quite honest, I wouldn't know much about trying to cope with the whole Reaper thing. I did what I was supposed to and didn't ask any questions. Alex on the other hand…" She grimaced and nodded off to him. _

"_I did the same thing you did, kid. I stalled it and the dreams tortured me. I couldn't sleep and I wouldn't sleep until exhaustion took me under. Don't try and tell me you're resting easy, I can see those circles under your eyes," He said in a scolding tone, shaking his head at her. Elise seemed in shrink back into her seat, suddenly more interested in the floor below her than the advice Alexander and Leda offered. She still listened, however. "I was on the verge of just killing myself and ending it because I was so scared of killing. Then I met Leda," _

_The blond woman smiled as he wrapped an arm around her, giving her shoulders a tight squeeze. "That's right." She confirmed, nodding. "And you know what I told him?" Her tone seemed to bring Elise back from whatever it was that she was doing. She looked up with big, pleading blue eyes. "Disconnect yourself. Don't stay in one place for too long and don't put your nose into other people's business. It's cold and it's lonely, but that's what Reapers are, Elise." _

_The corner of her mouth twitched slightly, but she still frowned, feeling helpless. "That's easier said than done," She muttered, a little disappointed. She didn't know what she expected, but she wanted to hear something a little more positive. Leda nodded in agreement and scooted close to Alexander. Elise watched this. "If we're so lonely and disconnected, then how come you two found each other?" _

_Alexander smiled crookedly and kissed the side of Leda's safe before facing Elise again, looking proud of himself. "That's something I told her." He said, chuckling. He must have been delighted to have one-upped his partner. "I told her that we should have at least one thing to cling to. One thing that will always be there no matter what, something eternal that will keep you sane. I found Leda and Leda found me." He said, looking into his partner's eyes lovingly before they shared a kiss. _

_The adolescent side of Elise began to show itself as she awkwardly shifted her gaze away. "Gag me," She muttered under her breath. Despite her slight disturbance and her vow to find a cute, immortal dog rather than a lover, she still took their advice to heart. After all, it wasn't everyday she got to meet another Reaper who knew what it was like to be burdened with such a role in life. _

**OOO**

**Present**

She didn't even realize she was hearing the music until she began to hum along with it, having heard the same rhythm enough to know it by heart. Blinking out of her daze, Elise glanced around, suddenly turned very alert by the sounds that drifting in the air tauntingly. The restlessness she experienced the previous night came back and that certainly didn't help her ankle. If it were for that little detail, she would have instantly stood up and tried to break her way out of the cell – not that it would be a hard task.

The music drove her insane the longer she listened to it and she was reminded of how many times she had woken up the night before and paced around her room, trying to figure out if she were hallucinating or the dreams had something to do with it. Now that she had learned that not only was the music real, but it also had a part in the disappearance of people in the village, she was even more antic about it, fidgeting and moving restlessly. Eventually it got to the point where she had to do something, and whatever it was going to be, she already knew she was going to regret it later.

Elise waved her hand into a shadow cast by the torch that lit the room and black, smoky tendrils followed her fingers as she guided the shady substance over her ankle. The shadows reformed into a solid article around her ankle, a tightly bound brace that clenched around the joint to set the two broken bones back in place. The process was excruciatingly painful and she had to bring her cloak over her mouth to muffle her agonized gasps, doubling over in pain and squeezing her eyes shut as tears sprung up and spilled over her cheeks. She spewed forth quiet curses as she tried to work through the pain. In that small moment, she had entirely forgotten about the music until she was finally beginning to get over it all and the haunting tune served as a reminder of why the hell she would even think of trying to set her bones back in place. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

After her admittedly stupid decision was made and done for, she bit her lip and looked for something nearby to drag herself up to a standing point. The nearest object was the bars that separated her from the rest of the world and it was still a few ways away. Because of this, she had to drag herself close enough so that she could grab hold of the bars and hoist herself up, chewing on the inside of her cheek until it bled. She gasped out loud when she tried to apply any sort of pressure on her right leg and hissed quietly, cursing herself through clenched teeth. The girl tried to bear through the pain as she pushed herself off the bars and stood without help. Now, only to get out of that accursed cell.

Limping and biting through sharp pains that rapidly shot up her leg, she stepped back and rolled her shoulders back, drawing in a breath before raising her arms to cross over each other airily. Shadows followed her motions and, despite wavering slightly, they solidified into blades as she swiped her arms apart. The ebony-colored blades whipped out and struck at the metal, cutting it all clean and the bars fell to the wooden floor with a loud clatter. The clamor was followed by alerted shouts that she had hoped she wouldn't have to hear. Now she was on a time table. Perfect. Casting the most miniscule of pain relieving spells on her ankle, she sprung into something of a jog – though it was pathetic because of her constant stagger – and left the building into the empty streets of the village. Having paused for a moment, she suddenly began to feel the drain of energy that using her abilities left her, as well as using what little magic she knew on her ankle.

Her head whipped around, trying to find any familiar markings that would help her find out where exactly she was and she was pleasantly surprised to find the familiar hanging sign of the inn she stayed at the night previous. It was only a dozen houses down from where she was and beyond it were the stables where her horse was. Having a horse would definitely make the task at hand easier on her. Quickly, she hid in the shadows as a group of angry-faced men ran past her - no doubt either in search of her or any missing children – and was they had passed, she stuck to the darkness that cloaked her as she hurriedly limped to the stables. Autumn air bit her skin mercilessly, but her already cold temperature fended off the sensation.

When she arrived at the stables, she was thankful that there was no lock on the barn doors for she knew already she was too exhausted and weak to conjure up anything to help her cut through at the moment. She pushed open the doors with most of her remaining strength and was about to limp over to the one stable she knew Calla rested in, but was stopped by a familiar figure waiting for her.

"Is it true?" Barry asked with a gruff and hard tone. She frowned at his appearance, having hoped for a clean and easy escape. The girl remained silent. "Is it true that you're a Reaper?"

She inclined her head, but kept her wintery gaze on him. "Yes." She answered quietly. The inn keeper blanched at her, speechless only for a moment.

"But- But how? How can a-a girl like you be such a barbaric creature?" He stumbled over his words as he flinched back. The title made her chest tighten painfully.

"Because we are not barbaric!" She defended, her voice rising. The shouts of the villagers nearby returned and her expression became desperate. "Please. I don't have a lot of time. I want to help you, help this village, but you need to trust me."

Barry scoffed indignantly and humorlessly. "Trust you?!" He threw her words back at her spitefully. "Says the demon hiding behind a child's face!"

"Barry, if I were truly a demon, do you think I'd be standing here, wasting my time trying to convince you otherwise?" She rounded on his sharply. "I could kill you, yeah, but I won't. You want to know why?" With an intake of breath, she paused and waited to see if he actually had any guessed. His face remained the same – hard and skeptical. "Because I don't want to. I don't want to kill. I never have wanted to kill." Her words were nothing but true and she hoped that Barry would believe in them and in the pain in her voice. _Please believe in me, _she pleaded silently.

For a second, she saw the hate and hardness flicker to something softer on his face and in his eyes as he shifted slightly. To her dismay, though, it reformed back into the cold glare he gave her before as quickly as the last had appeared. Silence filled in the gap between spoken and unspoken words. The shouts of the villagers were getting nearer and nearer, and she became more and more hopeless that she'd be able to escape that night. If only he would have trusted her.

Finally, Barry spoken, much to her surprise. "Alright." He said and she felt a weight lift off her shoulders and her breath caught in her throat. "I'll help you this once, Reaper, but you have to swear you'll bring those boys home. Got it?" He said as he walked over to the stall where her horse was. She gasped out the breath that she had yet to release and along with it came out the tension that riddled her body.

"Thank you," She told him gratefully as she followed him to the stall and walked in when he held the door open for her. Calla waited for her restlessly, already woken by the commotion and probably readier than ever to leave.

"Do you need your saddle?" He asked her, turning to get it off the ledge that it hung on, but she waved him off and proceeded to climb onto her horse bareback.

"There's no time. I can handle riding without." She said, her voice suddenly very serious. She imagined he was unfamiliar with this tone. Holding onto Calla's mane, the mare stepped out of the stall, as if lead by silent commands. Elise flinched at the shouts that sounded just outside of the stables. Calla stirred and snorted at her rider's unease.

Barry looked between the dark-haired girl and the doors behind them that lead to the village. The ones they stood infront of lead conveniently to the outside of the village and eventually the forest. "You need to be quick, Reaper. I don't know if they'll pursue you into the forest." He said unsteadily and she could tell he was nervous and she knew exactly why.

"I'm sorry if this gets you into trouble, Barry," She said genuinely, looking down on him. The man glanced up at her and grimaced. "I'm sorry for everything."

"Just get those boys back, Reaper." He ordered her and she was a little disappointed he didn't accept her apology. Barry smiled sadly. "Be careful, Elise." The use of her actual name was a nice sign that maybe he had forgiven her for the trouble she'd caused and she felt a little better than she had before. After an exchanging of short nods, Barry hurried over to the doors and pushed them open.

Music floated in the air, bearing greeting for the mare that dashed out of the stables and into the woods beyond the village. The moment she could register a distinct direction the tune was drifting from, she tugged at Calla's mane, causing the mare to stop, her head snapping up suddenly as the mare turned toward the direction that Elise willed. Calla's hooves were powerful on the ground as she ran, beating like drums and the force vibrated throughout the rider's body. Cold, stormy eyes were narrow and determined as she looked through the darkness of the forest, trying desperately to find the source of the music. Elise at the heat of the moment, couldn't differentiate between the reasons why she was so hell bent on finding the music's origins. Whether it was because she wanted to find those missing children, or because the music was driving her into insanity, she didn't know.

Calla's sleek body weaved through the forest, dodging trees and ducking below low branches. The mare was going at lightning speed and Elise could hear her heavy breathing as she dashed forward. She didn't expect for her mount to suddenly stop, skidding to an abrupt halt. The motion caused Elise to jerk forward and she was flung off of the horse; before she knew it, she was soaring through the sky and then crashing down on the hard forest floor in the middle of the clearing she'd just entered. All the air in her lungs was suddenly pulled out of her with a loud, _"Oaf!"_ Pain struck every nerve in her body.

Her long cloak had spilled in a black pool around and on top of her and she had to pull it back so she could sit up. She looked at Calla accusingly. "Calla!" She called after the mare, but she had remained just outside of the clearing, rearing back and kicking her legs up in a sudden fit. Elise scowled at the horse, shaking her head. _Stubborn creature, _she thought dryly with an equally sarcastic sneer. She stood up and brushed off her clothes to rid them of any dirt, glanced around a few times to make sure her surroundings were clear. After checking all angles and corners, she turned her blue gaze on the mare.

"Calla, get over here!" She commanded sternly. Calla, being the bull-headed creature she was, stamped her front hoof as if she were a child throwing a fit and did nothing to come near her rider. Elise's expression darkened and became even more impatient with the horse. "Calla!" She called in a threatening tone. Still, Calla didn't go near her. In fact, he promptly turned away and ran the opposite direction.

"Wait! Calla!" She was only half-tempted to follow after her and took a few steps forward to peer into the darkness, hoping that maybe her horse would turn around and return. She didn't. "Ugh!" The girl threw up her hands in forfeit and turned around. She figured she'd just have to walk, then. "Stupid horse," She growled under her breath as she began her hike. Though, her angry strides were short lived before something stopped her.

The bend in the atmosphere and rustle of leaves had her stopped in her tracks and frozen, eyes wide to take in the blackness around her. The wind began to howl abnormally, however it was a sound she was already acquainted with. Shifting to a defensive stance, her eyes narrowed as she watched the sky illuminated by several little lights and the silver luminescence of the moon. She searched the skies as if she were scanning a book, her pupils going back and forth, back and forth. Then, the creature made its appearance.

Though the sighting was brief, she could make out the unmistakable glow of white eyes and a black form branded into the air, free from restriction. The creature swooped down after her and she dived down just in time to roll out of the way. Her hand slipped over to the dagger on her belt and she unsheathed it. Crouched low to the ground, she searched the surroundings above her for the being that had just attempted to attack her. She could hear her heart beating like a drum, panic surged through her, and she clutched her ankle with her free hand to somehow suppress the pain that pulsed from it.

"_It's fortunate for you that you have such quick reflexes, Reaper." _A deep voice echoed in her mind and every muscle in her body went taught as she tried to look for its source. _"If you had been anyone else, I could have ripped your shadow right out of you." _The black mass hovered over the ground tauntingly across the field. Its white eyes were mocking.

Slowly, Elise rose to stand up tall, her hand still clutched the dagger, and she hissed when she tried to put pressure on her ankle. The Shadow chuckled as she winced quietly under her breath having seen the pain that she was going through. _"Your ankle hurt, little Reaper?" _He jested and she could hear the sneer in his voice.

Elise forced herself to bark out a hoarse laugh and she smirked. "You got a big mouth for a Shadow." She spat sourly. She knew she had to play her cards carefully. Her experience with Shadows was minimal, but she knew all too well that Death despised them. All because when they ripped a shadow from someone, that person's soul no longer belonged to Death. Shadows weren't meant to exist, but somehow, a long time ago, they were able to become completely separate beings from the creatures they were once bound to. It was the Reapers' job to rid the world of any that crossed their paths.

In other words, their hate for each other was practically instinctual.

"_And you're quite bold for a little girl." _The Shadow retorted easily.

"You'd know well not to call me a little girl, Shadow!" She snapped angrily and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Now, tell me, were you responsible for the disappearance of those boys? Did you steal their shadows?" The girl demanded the answers. Her voice echoed in the forest. The Shadow stood still, looking away and not responding to her question which only made her angrier. Her heart pounded in her ears and her chest rose and fell in a rapid rhythm.

"Tell me!" She screamed at the Shadow and his head snapped back to her. His white eyes burned into her and she flinched back. Why was she acting so weak against this Shadow? Her only shot at not getting killed was to be intimidating and she was doing the exact opposite. _Calm down, Elise, _she told herself, exhaling through an open mouth, hoping that it would calm her beating heart. Both of them stared at the other, waiting for either to make the first move.

Seconds, minutes, hours, years? She didn't know how long time had passed before it happened and when it did, it was so sudden that she didn't even have enough time to register what it was. The Shadow launched itself at her and before she could duck out of the way or muster up the will to retaliate, he knocked her down onto the forest floor, effectively pushing her a few yards away from where she was before. Her dagger slipped from her grasp and fell too far away for her to grab immediately before the Shadow struck again. Black wisps jumped to her aid as the Shadow flew after her and formed a jagged and wavering glove around her right arm. Claws formed on her finger tips like talons on a bird.

Gathering her bearings, she pin pointed the Shadow and charged after it with her hand ready to tear apart the creature. When she hit him, she had expected the claws of her glove to pierce the creature, but they didn't. Instead, the claws were deflected and her eyes widened in both shock and terror. With this diversion of her attention, the Shadow took the opportunity to throw her across the field once again. She didn't have the energy our the wits to brace herself for the impact, and the force of her fall hit her like a tidal wave, all the air in her lungs was forced out which left her choking on nothing.

Gasping for breath, she was left to wonder why the Shadow hadn't tried to kill her yet. It was obvious it was toying with her. It had to have known that in her state, she was in no condition to fight back. She watches helplessly as the shadows on her arm dissipated into thin air, leaving her unarmed. She could feel the Shadow getting closer to her as he spoke cruelly toward her, "Are you not even going to try to use your scythe, Reaper?" How could she? She could barely muster enough energy to lift herself from the ground.

Closing her eyes, Elise braced herself for another attack that she knew was bound to happen. Then, a voice barked out at the Shadow – a familiar voice. "Enough!"

No. It couldn't be that voice. It couldn't be _him_.

Frantic, she opened her eyes, but didn't dare look up to confirm her fears. There was pain everywhere now, soreness all the way from her already broken ankle to the places she was sure were going to bruise. Her head was pounding and there was an unbearable ringing in her eyes, but even that couldn't drown out his voice as her spoke in a commanding tone.

"I thought I told you I need her unharmed!" He snapped furiously, his voice closer now. "It's bad enough she went and broke her ankle!"

_That wasn't exactly my fault, _her stubborn thoughts replied silently. The black spots in her vision made it hard to see anything, so instead of wasting her time trying to, she closed her eyes. Shutting them tightly, she tried to banish the throbbing in her head.

"Go. I've got what I came here for and the boys are ready." He was the one who took the boys? "We leave when I'm done with her." The last sentence that the voice spoke made a shiver go down her spine. She didn't want to know what _being done with her_ entailed and she didn't want to find out any time soon. Feeling the presence of the Shadow leave, its heavy atmosphere dissipating as quickly as it appeared, Elise rolled over on her stomach and used what little strength she had to push herself up and lifting her torso from the ground. She twisted and turned to face the boy who walked closer to her.

Deep down her knew it was Peter, but she didn't want to be right. She felt what little color that was in her face drain and she stared at him with wide eyes. He knelt down to her level, his expression apologetic, but she wasn't buying the act. "I'm sorry," He said. "I didn't mean for you to get harmed. My Shadow was only meant to watch you."

"It was you." She forced out weakly, all efforts to sound intimidating resulted in failure. "You sent the Shadow? You kidnapped the… boys?" Between those two words, she let out a pained groan and tried not to heave. Weariness began to take over her body, but she was still fighting for consciousness.

"Shh," He silenced her with a concerned expression but she doubted he was concerned at all. "You're in pain. You should rest, Lobelia." Peter ordered her quietly, though she could catch the mischievous glint in his eyes as the corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk.

Her hands balling into fists, she forced herself to look back up at him. "But…how?" She was sure it was the pipes or something, but still she had more questions than answers. Elise hated not knowing things. The girl was about to speak with him again when the fuzzy black spots began to dominate her vision. She felt dizzy and tired. The world around her twisted and swirled and bent and swayed. Something other than exhaustion was dragging her under and she only heard soft words as she began to lose all sense of consciousness.

"I said sleep, Elise."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>

**Things got a little exciting didn't they? I didn't know whether or not to end earlier in this chapter or go on to as far as I did, but I figured that I didn't want to go at the pace that I was before. I wanted to make the chapters a little longer and play with my pacing. I kinda want your input on how fast and/or slow the story is going. I feel like so far it's going pretty slow so far, but maybe that's just me? I definitely am going to be quickening up the pace just a little bit in these next few chapters since I already have them pre-written, but depending on your answers, I'll see what I can manage to be comfortable with you guys while still keeping the story comfortable for me to write. **

**Also, from this point on, ****I will be probably updating every other Friday****. I would update every Friday, it would make sense since I'm a little ahead in writing, but I want to spend a little more time working on some other projects as well as space out my posted chapters and my pre-written chapters. This just makes everything comfortable for me as a writer. :)**

**And, oh my gosh! I'm loving the feedback I've gotten so far from my readers. I appreciate every review, favorite and follow that this story gets and it makes me so happy, really. You've no idea the excitement I get when I get an alert in my email about it. It's just amazing! So, thank you guys so much for taking your time to read my story and review, favorite, and/or follow. I'm so excited for this story and I hope you guys like it and enjoy the ride with me. **

**I want to know how you guys feel about the Reaper concept so far! Do you guys have any questions? I'll be glad to answer any to a certain extent (i.e. spoilers, etc.) Speaking of which, I gotta start working on review replies….**

**Anyway, so, here's your little sneak peak for the next chapter:**

"_You have no idea where I belong. Take. Me. Back"_

"_Not going to happen. I will, however, bring you back to the camp one way or another."_

"_I'm not going anywhere with you."_

"_Then where will you go?"_

**Yeeeeeee-up! Hehe! Now, I hope you guys enjoyed this last chapter. Please do leave a review, it really helps me write, and, hell, favorite and follow if you want! And with that, I must bid you lovelies adieu! See ya'll cats in the next chapter!**


End file.
